Antimicrobial biodegradable compositions for food contact articles

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a food contact article. According to one embodiment, the food contact article includes at least one food contact surface. This at least one food contact surface is made up of at least 50 weight percent of at least one biodegradable polymer, such as polyhydroxyalkanoates, and from about 0.1 weight percent to about 1.0 weight percent of at least one antimicrobial agent.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A food contact article having at least one food contact surface, wherein the at least one food contact surface comprises at least 50 weight percent polyhydroxyalkanoates and from about 0.1 weight percent to about 1.0 weight percent lysozyme, wherein the lysozyme is absorbed onto the food contact surface so as to contact food. 
     
     
       2. The food contact article of  claim 1 , wherein the food contact article comprises a food container, a cup, an eating utensil, or a food packaging film. 
     
     
       3. The food contact article of  claim 1 , wherein the food contact article comprises a biodegradable substrate and the food contact surface comprises a coating formed on the substrate. 
     
     
       4. The food contact article of  claim 3 , wherein the biodegradable substrate comprises paperboard. 
     
     
       5. The food contact article of  claim 1 , wherein the food contact surface comprises from about 80 to about 99.9 weight percent of polyhydroxyalkanoates. 
     
     
       6. The food contact article of  claim 1 , further comprising a second antimicrobial agent selected from the group consisting of anti-bacterial agents, anti-fungal agents, anti-parasitic agents, anti-algal agents, anti-prion agents, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       7. The food contact article of  claim 1 , wherein the lysozyme is applied as a spray on the at least one food contact surface. 
     
     
       8. The food contact article of  claim 1 , wherein the food contact surface further comprises at least one biodegradable polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(butylene succinate), poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate), poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate), poly(caprolactone), poly(lactic acid), cellulose esters, thermoplastic starch, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       9. The food contact article of  claim 1 , wherein the polyhydroxyalkanoates comprise a copolymer made up of from about 75 to about 99.9 mole percent monomer residues of 3-hydroxybutyrate and from about 0.1 to about 25 mole percent monomer residues of a second hydroxyalkanoate having from 5 to 12 carbon atoms. 
     
     
       10. The food contact article of  claim 1 , wherein the polyhydroxyalkanoates comprise a terpolymer made up from about 75 to about 99.9 mole percent monomer residues of 3-hydroxybutyrate and from about 0.1 to about 25 mole percent monomer residues of 3-hydroxyhexanoate, and from about 0.1 to about 25 mole percent monomer residues of a third hydroxyalkanoate having from 5 to 12 carbon atoms. 
     
     
       11. The food contact article of  claim 1 , wherein the polyhydroxyalkanoates have an initial weight average molecular weight from about 100,000 to about 3,000,000 daltons.